Public Access at Menie - again

I have had reported to me three more incidents where people were stopped on the Menie Estate. References to previous incidents can be found here.

One incident I regard as very serious. I quote from part of an email from a young woman horse-rider

... so went for a ride down through the dunes beside the Trump area. Was outside the fences and on the path when they're (sic) security jeep drove down. Carried on back onto the beach and further down the the jeep with flashing orange lights comes powering out of the dunes and storming up the beach towards me - really motoring along, splashing through puddles, lights flashing - you can imagine how this went down with Lenny! .... Eventually 2 big fancy blacked out range rovers turn up and 4 Americans in suits jump out of each one and start accusing me of the vandalism that was in the papers a couple of weeks ago. There were really quite aggressive and if Lenny hadn't been freaking out and running round me in circles, it would have really been intimidating - they had to keep their distance because of him though.

A complaint has, I understand been made to the police.

There have been two further incidents in the past few days, one a pedestrian and one another horse rider.

This intimidation is not acceptable.

I shall be discussing the situation with the local police. Detaining me last March was one thing. Endangering people peaceably riding horses is serious.

Please do not be put off using the dunes. pedestraians, cyclists and horse riders are perfectly entitled to exercise their "responsible right to roam". I believe construction work has stopped - we are out of the marram grass planting season. Please be careful not to disturb the areas of planting and fencing.

I carry a mobile phone when I am on the dunes. I shouldn't have to but ... If I were stopped I would ask who was stopping me and why. If there was any effort to detain me, I would dial 999 immediately.

Hopefully this will be properly dealt with and we have no more in the long running series of incidents. I will be meeting the police on Friday.

Standards of Trump

I was told by a reporter that the Trump Organisation has reported me to the Standards Commission for over-stepping my duties as councillor regarding public access at Menie (see earlier article). As I was simply responding to constituent complaints and inspecting a situation myself, I am totally confident that the Standards Commission will dismiss the compliant.

The more interesting question is what the police will do regarding my complaint to the police about being unlawfully detained by the Menie Estate security guards.

It is worth recording here that the gates around the estate are now unlocked. I have been advised of this by residents and by Aberdeenshire Council's Access Officer. I hope the Menie Estate now understand the Scottish Outdoor Access Code and the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and we will have no more nonsense of locked gates.

A question - SNH funding shifts

Originally posted as a comment to another post, I was recently asked

"What are your views on the transfer of SNH funds, intended for Local Authorities, to be shifted directly into the Local Authority Core Settlements with effect from April 09? "

http://www.snh.org.uk/data/boards_and_committees/main_board_papers/2008-Jun24th/SNH%20Funding%20to%20LAs.pdf

I've great respect for Scottish Natural Heritage. They have long been very effective partners for local authorities, and here in Aberdeenshire recently I have been very aware of their contributions

• part funded Rangers
• helping drive forward the Core Path proposals with ALOAF
• and, of course, being a key objector in the Menie PLI.

The paper to the SNH Board correctly identifies the risks - funds once transferred to local authorities are not ring-fenced and therefore there can be no guarantee that spending on SNH priorities will continue. This fear is particularly acute as local authority spending comes under increasing pressure - e.g. Aberdeenshire is expected to need to make £10m of cuts in the 2010/11 budget. And as funding to the Scotland from Westminster comes under pressure as it will do, then the budget settlement to local authorities may get even worse.

The only control is the Single Outcome Agreement between councils and the Scottish Goevrnment http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/about/plans/SingleOutcomeAgreementMASTERJuly2008.pdf and I can see little in there that will ensure that monies will continue to be spent to protect, conserve and enhance the high quality natural heritage that so contributes to Aberdeenshire being regarded as a great place to live, work and visit.

So I am not optimistic .... particularly as those running both local and Scottish government seem to regard the environment as a poor third to the economy and social aspects when discussing sustainability (just where did the phase sustainable economic development come from?).